Blog LIVE Game Blog of Region 4A Semis: #4 Warwick (4-1) at #1 Lake Taylor (4-0)

[matthew328826]

Greetings from Lake Taylor High School in Norfolk, where on this warm, sunny Saturday in Norfolk it's the reigning Class 4 State Champion Lake Taylor Titans (4-0) playing host to the #4 seed Warwick Raiders (4-1) form Newport News.

This is a re-match of a regional semifinal won by the Titans just two Novembers ago, 21-14.

Of note - - Warwick is without two very key players in DB/WR Messiah Russell (James Madison University signee), who is out with a partially torn patellar tendon that'll sideline him for a few months, and RB Bryce Buchanan (shoulder injury).

Follow updates throughout the game on the Blog here and via my Twitter feed @hatfieldsports

It'll be Lake Taylor ball to start...

 

[matthew328826]

Lake Taylor starts at their own 43 and the Titans begin to put together a nice drive with the running game working as Chuck Fisher, the sophomore standout, gains 27 yards on his first three carries. Jeff Foster at QB completes his first pass for 11 yards to Pierre Royster. However, a holding penalty wipes out a big run by Fisher, and the Titans struggle to recover.

In fact, the Titans throw three straight incomplete passes, one of which came where Foster overthrow an open Royster on what could've been a touchdown. So with Warwick coming up with the stop on 4th & 16 from their own 31, they take over with 9:09 to go in the opening period.

 

[matthew328826]

Warwick is in the midst of a good drive as Derick Nixon and Elijah Smith are both making things happen from the QB spot for the Raiders. In fact, following a few runs, the Raiders move into Titans territory on a 23-yard hookup from Smith to 6'0" athletic junior wideout Kysaun Jones.

But a bad snap, along with a couple tackles for loss from the Titans by Darious Speight and Sencere Royster, a junior lineman who forced a fumble that Warwick was able to recover. Warwick goes for it on 4th & 13 from the Lake Taylor 32, though the pass falls incomplete.

Still scoreless with 4:22 to go in the opening frame.

 

[matthew328826]

Lake Taylor's second series starts at their own 32 and it's sophomore stud back Chuck Fisher rumbling 12 yards as the Titans approach midfield. However, the Warwick pass rush keeps them from getting there as the pressure comes off the edge with Marlen Wilson and senior DE Kyere Watson-Hubbard, who sacks Jeff Foster for a loss of 10.

While Foster's next pass is incomplete, he finds Fisher for a completion worth 8 yards. That's not enough to move the chains, forcing Lake Taylor to punt it away on 4th & 12 from their own 42. It's a great punt of 46 yards as Warwick takes over with 2:15 left in the opening frame at their own 12.

 

[matthew328826]

Warwick gains 3 yards with Derick Nixon, then they are stuffed as Keon Stith and Tarreon Washington-Jacobs are part of that Lake Taylor defensive effort.




To begin the 2nd period, Eduardo Rios - the 3rd different guy to see action at QB for Warwick - is dropped for a loss of 10 on a sack. Believe it was Darious Speight with the sack.

Warwick punts out of bounds and Lake Taylor takes over at the 35 of the Raiders with 11:05 left in the opening half.

 

[matthew328826]

Lake Taylor appears to be on the verge of taking advantage of the great field position until following a 3rd & 2 conversion for the Titans, with Mani Pahl gaining 5 yards, a fumble takes place. Jeff Foster coughs it up on a QB keeper and Aidan Adair, one of Warwick's top tacklers from the linebacker spot, creates the game's first turnover.

Warwick takes over in this scoreless defensive battle with 7:18 to go until half-time from their own 2. The Raiders dig out from their own end with a couple of 2-yard runs from Derick Nixon and Dayvion Coprening. Yet, with Lake Taylor bringing its linebackers over to match Warwick's alignment and overloading one side, the Raiders are unable to hold their blocks long enough on a sweep play. Nixon gains 5 on 3rd & 6. The Raiders punt it away.

 

[matthew328826]

Following a 20-yard punt by Warwick, Lake Taylor's fourth series begins at the Warwick 26-yard line with 4:57 until the break. Tarreon Washington-Jacobs rushes for 6 yards and then it's Chuck Fisher plowing through the middle for 16, only tripped up by Aidan Adair.

Lake Taylor goes to double tight, so you know they probably aren't putting it in the air here. A 3-yard run from Fisher sets up the QB keeper with Jeff Foster.




Caps a quick 4-play, 26-yard drive in 1:51.

 

[matthew328826]

Warwick was helped by a 15-yard personal foul penalty on Lake Taylor during the kickoff. That allowed them to start at their own 46, where sophomore Davion Corpening breaks off a 19-yard run. He could've gone to the house had it not been for Darious Speight making the key tackle.

Warwick's drive hits a wall when on 3rd & 8 from the Lake Taylor 33 Titans senior DB Kelveon Whitmore intercepts Eduardo Rios. Lake Taylor takes over at their own 5, likely content to run some clock and get to the break up 7-0 in a physical, defensive battle thus far.

 

[matthew328826]

Just a superb job by Jeff Foster, who could've easily taken off and scrambled or eaten that and taken a sack, to keep that play alive with his legs and throw an accurate deep ball to one of his vertical threats in Speight, who did the rest.

Lake Taylor adds the PAT to take a 14-point lead.

 

[matthew328826]

A huge blow to the confidence for Warwick, minus two key guys today in Russell and Buchanan, as Lake Taylor grows its lead. Warwick would've felt pretty decent to get to half only down 7-0 with the ball first, but now they know it's almost absolutely vital they put together a drive coming out of the second half.

 

[matthew328826]

Warwick gains 9 yards with Derick 'Pop' Nixon on the final play of the half and Lake Taylor will take its 14-0 lead to intermission...

 

[matthew328826]

Some numbers at the break...

Stats at the Half:

Lake Taylor 14:
Jeff Foster - 4-10 for 99Yds. 1-0 TD/Int. ratio; 3Car. 0Yds. TD
Chuck Fisher - 8Car. 67Yds; 1Rec. 8Yds.
Tarreon Washington-Jacobs - 6Car. 31Yds.
Darious Speight - 2Rec. 80Yds. TD
Pierre Royster - 1Rec. 11Yds.

Titans - 30 plays for 200 total yards (4 of 10 for 99 yards passing; 20 rushes for 111 yards, 1 lost fumble); 1 turnover; 2 penalties for 25 yards


Warwick 0:
Derick Nixon - 9Car. 35Yds.
Davion Corpening - 4Car. 31Yds.
Elijah Smith - 1-1 for 23Yds.
Kysaun Jones - 1Rec. 23Yds.

Raiders - 21 plays for 71 total yards (1 of 4 for 23 yards passing, 1 intercept; 17 rushes for 48 yards); 1 turnover; 1 penalty for 5 yards

 

[matthew328826]

Warwick goes 3 & out on its first series as the Lake Taylor defense is on point yet again, able to contain the running game. Then the Titans hand it off to Chuck Fisher, who bowls over a defender and is headed to paydirt...

 

[matthew328826]

It doesn't take long for Lake Taylor to get back on the board, again. Following a no gain run by Derick Nixon and loss of 1, Warwick is forced to go to the air on 3rd & long. Eduardo Rios is hit as he drops back to throw, believe by Darious Speight, and 6-foot-6 multi-sport (football and basketball) standout Elijah Washington comes up with the ball that pops into the air.

Not totally sure if it should be ruled as an INT or fumble recovery... I'm going with INT for the purposes of this blog. Washington is just a ninth grader, by the way. Has a chance to be a next-level prospect in whichever sport he chooses, and if it's football, we might be looking at a baby version of Jalyn Holmes (of the NFL's Minnesota Vikings) right now.

 

[matthew328826]

Warwick takes over at their own 28 with 8:03 to go in the 3rd period following that latest Lake Taylor TD.

 

[matthew328826]

While Warwick has not played quite as strong as in my last live viewing of them when they defeated Woodside in the season opener, one thing they have cleaned up is the number of penalties. Only one in the first half. But a pair on their third series of the second half keep them from extending the drive. Lake Taylor's Camauri Hunter nearly intercepts a Warwick pass on third down.

Without Bryce Buchanan at running back and Messiah Russell as one of the weapons at receiver, the Raiders have looked handcuffed a bit on offense. That's never a good thing against a team that is as aggressive and fast defensively as Lake Taylor.

The Titans start at their own 32 for their third third series, comfortably up 26-0 in this 3rd period at the 5:10 mark.

 

[matthew328826]

Suddenly up to 240 yards rushing are the Titans of Lake Taylor High, just one more score away from making this a running clock affair. The 1-2 punch of Chuck Fisher and Tarreon Washington-Jacobs have been stellar, plus they're both tenth graders. That's encouraging for Coach Hank Sawyer, who many wondered what he'd do at running back with Malik Newton enrolling in college early to Pitt at the time.

This thing quickly turned for the worst for Warwick right before the half when Jeff Foster found Darious Speight on that long aerial scoring strike on third down. Come up with a stop there and the Raiders get to the break only down 7-0.

But while the Lake Taylor offense is hitting on all cylinders in this second half, a lot of credit must go to the defense for the Titans, too. Kelveon Whitmore and Elijah Washington - one being a senior and the other a freshman - came up with key takeaways. The other nine defenders, especially the likes of Speight, Pierre Royster and Keon Stith, have done their part as well.

 

[matthew328826]

Even though Lake Taylor had a fumble on a punt return, they continue to dominate, thanks to an offense that is balanced and a defense that is simply dominating right now.

 

[matthew328826]

Lake Taylor was on the move again, looking to put it away and make the game a running clock margin... but their third lost fumble of the day comes on the first play the backup QB enters the game with an errant pitch. Warwick LB Aidan Adair, who has played his tail off in defeat today with double-digit tackles, recovers the fumble at their own 45.

Lake Taylor won't panic, however, as they lead it 32-0 with 6:50 left to play. The Titans appear to be headed for a Region 4A Championship re-match from 2019 with Churchland, who leads Warhill by double-figures in the fourth period.

 

[matthew328826]

With Churchland beating Warhill 38-12 - now a final - it'll be the Titans playing host to the Truckers in the Region 4A Finals. Meanwhile, in Region 4B today, it was Monacan beating Patrick Henry-Ashland 28-19 to keep its undefeated season going. Monacan will host fellow unblemished King George in the Region 4B Finals.

In 4C, it'll be unbeaten Tuscarora hosting Broad Run, while undefeated Salem hosts GW-Danville in the Region 4D Championship.

 

[matthew328826]

More to come later...

 

[DinwiddieProud]

Nice game call Matt.

 

[matthew328826]

Nice game call Matt.

Thanks - masked up in a press box without any AC in the first half had me sweating quite a bit... but thankfully the door opened in 2nd half and I was able to cool off... Titans looked dominant today.

And when Coach Sawyer introduces me to the 6'6" freshman after the game (6 feet apart, of course), my first thought was, "My goodness... Jalyn Holmes 2.0!" Hank might be around for at least three more years with that kid there.